, one of the greatest theoretic musicians of modern times, was born
, one of the greatest
theoretic musicians of modern times, was born at Berlin
about 1667, and became so early a proficient on the harpsichord, that at the age of fourteen he was sent for to
court, and appointed to teach the prince, father of the
great Frederic king of Prussia, About 1700, he came
over to England, and was retained as a performer at Drurylane, and it is supposed that he assisted in composing the
operas which were performed there. In 1707 he had acquired
English sufficient to adapt ]\iouea,ux’s translation of the
Italian opera of “Thomyris
” to airs of Scarlatti and Boiioncini, and to new-set the recitatives. In 1709 and 1710,
several of his works were advertised in the first edition of
the Tatlers, particularly a set of sonatas for a flute and
bass, and his first book of cantatas. In 1713 he obtained,
at the same time as Crofts, the degree of doctor of music
at the university of Oxford. And soon after this, upon,
the establishment of a choral chapel at Cannons, he was
employed by the duke of Chandos as maestro di capella;
in which capacity he composed anthems and morning and
evening services, which are still preserved in the Academy
of ancient music. In 1715 he composed the masque of
“Venus and Adonis,
” written by Cibber; and in The Death of Dido,
” by Booth, both for Drury-lane.
These pieces, though not very successful, were more frequently performed that any of his original dramatic compositions. In 1723 he published an ode for St. Cecilia’s
day, which he had set for the concert in York-buildings.
In 1724 he accepted an offer from Dr. Berkeley to accompany him to the Bermudas, and to settle as professor of
music in his intended college there; but, the ship in
which they sailed being wrecked, he returned to London,
and married Francesca Margarita de l'Epine. This person
was a native of Tuscany, and a celebrated singer, who
performed in some of the first of the Italian operas that
were represented in England. She came hither with one
reber, a German, and from this connection became distinguished by the invidious appellation of Greber’s Peg.
She continued to sing on the stage till about 1718; when
having, at a modest computation, acquired above ten
thousand guineas, she retired from the theatre, and afterwards married Dr. Pepusch. She was remarkably tall,
and remarkably swarthy; and, in general, so destitute of
personal charms, that Pepusch seldom called her by any
other name than Hecate, to which she is said to have
answered very readily.